Underlying Love 'Neath a Cotton Candy Sky
by Kranna 25
Summary: Asch gets wounded, but thankfully Luke saves him.  They wind up in the hospital in Belkend, which leads to something neither of them would've expected. “Tch... Yeah, right. I'm not going to hold your hand.” Spoilers.  Yaoi.  AschxLuke
1. Chapter 1  My Asch The Bloody Valentine

Disclaimer : I do not own Tales of the Abyss or it's characters, but it would be pretty awesome if I did!

My Asch, The Bloody Valentine

_I watched, helplessly, as a soldier plunged his sword into Asch's back. I saw my original freeze from the pain._

"Asch!" I yelled. The vision then vanished from my mind, but I could still sense Asch's pain.

"What is it, Luke?" Natalia asked, worriedly.

"I...it's Asch...he's dying..." I said, almost in a whisper. The group stared at me with shocked expressions.

"What!? We must get to him!" the Kimlascan princess answered.

"Listen up, everyone. All of you, head out of here. I'll go get Asch. Who knows what may happen if we stay here too long," I announced.

"Luke, that's insanity! You could be killed if you go by yourself!" Guy yelled, shaking my shoulders in hope of knocking some sense into me.

"Without you guys and my original, I'm nothing anyway."

And with that, I ran off to find Asch.

I could tell I was getting closer to him by the pain I could sense. It was increasing by the minute. I opened the huge silvery-white doors and that's when I saw him. The red-haired god-general was lying against the wall with not one sword, but two, protruding from his back.

"Asch..." I called out as I ran to his side. No response came from his blood-stained mouth.

"Asch, can you hear me?" I asked, touching his shoulder. He then coughed up a bit more blood.

"Hey, dreck..." he managed to say.

"Asch, I'm going to help you out of here."

"Why bother?"

"What?!"

"Why would you want to help me?"

"Natalia and the others care about you, and so do I. Good enough answer?"

"You guys...care about me?"

"Of course we do. And besdies, what would I do without my original?"

Asch just grunted.

"Okay, come on. We need to get out of here," I said, putting his arm behind my neck to help him up.

"Please, just leave me behind, replica."

"Don't give up, Asch. Come on. There's a doctor in Belkend who'll fix you up."

"Belkend? I can't make it to Belkend."

"You can if you try. Why are you so insistant on giving up?"

"I...don't know..."

"Well, let's go! Asch, please!"

"But...oh, fine..." he said. I attempted to pull him to his feet, but his legs were too weak, and gave out underneath him. The god-general fell to the floor and cursed under his breath.

"Just try again," I insisted.

This time, I managed to get Asch standing without too much of a hassle.

"There. That's a start," I said.

"Why don't you just give up on me, replica?"

"Because that's not the kind of person I am. I'm risking my life for you. I wouldn't do that if I didn't care about you, you idiot!"

"..." Asch's cheeks became slightly flushed all of a sudden. I never thought I'd see the day when Asch the bloody would actually blush.

"Heheh...you're blushing..." I said to him, smiling.

Asch began coughing again, this time, worse than before.

"Asch? ...Are you okay?" I asked, starting to get more worried.

"...Sorry...I'm okay... I didn't scare you, did I?" he asked me, becoming his crude self once again.

"Of course, you scared me. I don't want you to die."

"...I don't understand why..."

"So, anyway, what happened to you?" I asked, as I helped him start walking. He winced every step he took.

"I just got careless... Then the soldiers took advantage of my idiocy."

"They stabbed you twice? I only saw it once in my vision."

"Three times, actually. I pulled one out already," Asch said, forcing out a slight laugh that seemed to cause him pain. That was when I noticed a gaping hole in his abdomen where a sword had clearly entered. Blood soaked that entire area, as well as a good portion of his armour.

"Asch...don't worry, I'll find help," I told him, as comfortingly as I could.

"Heh...I'm not worrying... If I die, what the hell, right?" he laughed again. I turned to him and slapped him on the face.

"What in the name of Yulia was that for?!" he yelled.

"For being such an idiot! How can you laugh about this?! You're in a terrible state. You're dying, Asch, yet you think it's all a big joke! Also, I already told you that people would care if you die!! What part of that don't you understand!?" I screamed at him. The red-haired adolescent stared at me, astonished.

"You're ri-" Asch started choking worse than ever now. Blood trickled from his mouth. I helped to get him sitting on the floor again.

"Are you okay?" I asked, rubbing his back in a spot where there were no blades. He gasped for air between coughs. Finally, he caught his breath.

"...Sorry..." he whispered before he fell unconcious.

"Asch?" I asked. He didn't respond. _At least he won't be arguing with me every time I try to move him._

With a bit of difficutly, I managed to get Asch on my back. I was extremely careful not to harm him any further. I then hustled my way around until I found the exit.

"Luke! Asch!" Guy called out when he saw us approaching. I took a deep breath of the fresh, outdoor air. Natalia came running over to me when she saw Asch's wounded body on my back.

"Oh, Asch! Luke, what happened?" she asked, panicked.

"Some soldiers did this to him," I explained, glancing back at him.

"We should get a doctor immediately. We can't afford to lose a pretty boy like Asch," Anise commented.

"Come on, Anise. Now's not the time for that," Tear interrupted.

"Actually, I found it rather amusing," Jade smiled.

"Boo..." Anise whined to Tear, who simply walked away from her.

"The Albiore's not far from here. But do you want me to carry Asch until we get there?" Guy asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. We just need to get him to a doctor, quick. There's one in Belkend, right?" I asked.

"That's right," Jade answered.

"Let's hurry to the Albiore, then," said Tear.

Asch stayed unconcious for the entire trip. It wasn't until the Albiore landed right outside Belkend that he woke up.

"Where are we?" Asch asked, groggily.

"We're in our ship right now, but we're landed just outside Belkend," I told him. Asch was laying on his stomach, across a row of seats in the ship. They weren't great, but it was as close to a bed as we could get just then.

"We're going to help you get in there, okay? Guy and everyone are here to help, too," I said.

"I...have to move again?" he asked.

"I'm afraid so. But it won't be so bad. In just a few minutes you'll be feeling much better."

"Okay..."

Guy got on one side of Asch and I got on the other. Asch put an arm around each of us to help him get balanced.

"Okay, now take a step," I told him. Asch did as he was told, but choked back a whimper. I knew I would probably be doing the same thing if I had blades wedged in my back.

Eventually, we made it to the doctor's room. Asch seemed overly worn out. His face was pale and his eyes seemed to want to close.

"...I hate doctors..." Asch muttered to me.

"They're only here to help," I answered.

"Here, have him lie down on the bed," the doctor said.

Guy and I helped Asch lie down on the bed, on his stomach. Guy whispered a "good luck" to Asch before leaving the room.

"Are you two related?" the doctor asked me.

"Yes... I'm his...twin," I replied.

"Ah, yes. Just checking. Only family members are permitted to stay with the patient," the doctor explained. Asch gave me a questioning look, as if to say, "Twins? Since when are we twins?" I gave him a look to warn him not to tell the doctor any different. He seemed to understand.

"So this means...Natalia can't come in?" he asked. I was shocked for a moment. I had forgotten that he was the one who had really proposed to Natalia. I was also a bit taken back at the fact that Asch was still in love with her, and that Asch the Bloody could be in love at all.

"Yeah, I guess she can't come in. But you'll see her again soon. It's probably best she doesn't come in now, anyway. She wouldn't want to see you in pain," I said.

"You're right..." he answered.

"Okay, I'm going to remove these swords now. It'll probably hurt, though. You're lucky to still even be alive right now, you know?" the doctor said.

"Asch, you should hold my hand while he does this," I told him.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Asch answered.

"If you squeeze my hand, the pain won't seem as bad."

"Tch... Yeah, right. I'm not going to hold your hand."

"...Okay, then..."

"Here we go," the doctor said. He placed a hand on Asch's back and gently tried to slide the blade out. Asch closed his eyes tightly.

"Looks like these are in deeper than I thought. Have to try again," said the doctor. Again, he placed his hand on Asch's back. This time, he tugged at the sword more violently. Asch let a few curses escape his lips. The doctor pulled again and I saw the sword move in a way that made me squirm. Asch let out a cry.

"I'm sorry," the doctor told Asch. The doctor then jerked at the sword once again and it came free. Asch let out a sickening scream and quickly grabbed onto my hand. He looked up at me slowly.

"What did I tell you?" I said.

"..." Asch looked embarrassed.

"Look, it doesn't matter to me. No one's going to know about this anyway. There's still one more sword left to go, and if you just squeeze my hand, it'll make things a lot easier on both of us," I smiled.

"F-fine..." he said, wrapping his fingers tighter around my hand.

The doctor removed the second sword with just as much difficulty as the first, but I had been right all along. Asch didn't seem to mind the second one as much.

"Well, I'll go get rid of these swords now," the doctor said, wiping blood off his hands with a cloth.

"Okay," I said.

"I'll only be a minute," he said, leaving the room. Then came silence. Asch and I avoided eye contact as much as we could.

"Do you feel better now?" I asked.

"...I guess... Don't tell this to anyone else...I don't want them to think I'm weak, but it really hurts a lot," Asch answered quietly.

"I would imagine. And you know what, Asch? You'd actually seem weaker if you didn't confess that it hurt. Otherwise, you'd just trying to be acting tough and hiding your pain."

"..."

"What...?"

"You're strange, replica."

"Why do you say that?"

"I-..." Asch winced and then began to cough once again. I rubbed his back once more, hoping that would ease his breathing, or at least his pain. When he continued to cough and gasp for air, I started to panic a little more.

"Asch...? Can you breathe okay?" I asked, nervously. He shook his head weakly and his eyes began to flutter closed.

"Asch, don't die! Not now! Not after we've come this far!" I yelled in horror. Asch's eyes then closed completely and his breathing slowed...then stopped.

"What the hell?! This can't happen! Breathe, Asch!!" I shouted. I rolled him over and got closer to his chest, but there was no doubt about it; Asch wasn't breathing.

"Hurry up, you moronic doctor!" I looked at Asch, then at the closed door where the doctor had left, then at Asch again. _No one's coming... No one will ever know... He'll die if I don't... Oh, hell... why me? _I bent over and placed my lips on the god-general's. I then began breathing air into his mouth. I looked up at him... Nothing. I repeated the actions again. Regardless of the situation, I couldn't help but notice that Asch's lips tasted...nice. I couldn't deny that I enjoyed touching my lips against his, despite the life-threatening state Asch was in at the moment. I breathed into his mouth once again. This time, his eyes opened...and focused on me. They then became angry-looking, and he pushed me away so there was no longer any contact between us.

"Is everything all right?" the doctor asked. I turned embarrassedly to him. He was smirking. I guessed it wasn't every day that someone got to see something like that.

"Everything's okay...now..." Asch said, as calmly and casually as he could.

"...No! Everything's not okay! Asch was here coughing and nearly choking to death while you were out disposing of some stupid swords! Don't you think that could've waited until a better time!? And also, don't just sneak up on people like that! I didn't know you were standing there while I was..." I decided not to finish my sentence.

"...Anyway, the main thing is, you're both alive," the doctor answered, smiling, but looking a little afraid of me. I clenched my fists, but decided not to make any remarks to what he had said.

"Asch, as you might've guessed, you'll have to stay here for the night. Luke, will you be staying with him?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Okay. I'm going to bring in an extra bed for you. And, if there are any problems, just ring this bell. Either me or one of the nurses will come help," the doctor said, handing me a small metal bell. He then exited the room again. I placed the bell on the table beside Asch's bed.

"...Hey, replica?" Asch asked.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"...T-thanks...for helping me."

"Oh...no problem... Sorry about that little akward moment..." I said, rubbing the back of my head.

"Yeah... I'm sorry too... Replica?"

"What?"

"Don't leave me, okay?"

"I didn't expect to hear that from you."

"I know. I've been a jerk to you all along. I'm sorry. But after I get out of here, things are going to go back to the way they were before. Just be prepared for that," he answered.

"Why? It doesn't have to be that way."

"Yes, it does. If Van or anyone else found out that you were the one helping me, it would be the end of me."

"Why do you think that?"

"That's just the way it has to be, okay!? Don't ask any me anything more."

"Okay... I just don't understand."

"No... You wouldn't understand just yet. Of course, I doubt you'd ever understand... I can't tell anyone about this. I know I'm going insane for even thinking that..."

"What are you talking about, Asch?"

"I... No, it would ruin everything were I to say anything. It's just wrong. It shouldn't...it can't be like that..."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me..."

"F-fine... Replica...what would you say to me if I said I didn't love Natalia anymore?"

"I'd be surprised because just a little while ago you seemed disappointed that she couldn't come in here with you."

"No, I wasn't disappointed. I was pleased. I was making sure she couldn't come in."

"Why would you want that?"

"So I could...be with you..."

"You actually want to be with me?"

"...Yes. You see, Luke, I've been having these feelings lately... Very strange feelings... Like the ones I used to have for Natalia. Except for lately, they haven't been for Natalia..."

"...Y-you just called me 'Luke'. You didn't call me replica or any other insulting name..." I said, shocked.

"That's not the point! The point is... these feelings have been towards you, Luke..."

"..."

"Damn! I shouldn't have said that! You're going to reject me!"

"No, no! I...feel the same way... Rescuing you, helping you, saving you... That was my way of showing I cared. I didn't ever expect you to feel the same way. I thought you hated my guts. But I just wanted to let you know that I cared, even if I didn't get any respect back."

"...I...don't really hate you. I just have to act like that. Of course, don't think I never hated you, because there was a time. Actually, it lasted for about seven years... Until I found out what you were really like. You're not like me. You're like the perfect son that Duke Fabre would want. I...wasn't..."

"Asch, I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. If all this hadn't happened, we wouldn't be together right now."

"You're right. But, man, this is all so weird. I can't believe how different you are right now."

"Remember, not a word of this to anyone...EVER! Or, consider yourself dead!"

"Got it!"

"Good. Now, could you help me roll over again? My back hurts."

"Sure," I smiled.

Author's Notes : Hey, there! This is only the beginning for these two. I hope to get at least 5 reviews before I update. Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Chapter 2 Being Careful? Not Too Easy!

There were no other frightening incidents while the doctor was gone this time. Asch and I just stayed pretty quiet after our akward conversation. I didn't want to show it, but I was scared for him. I knew that if Van found out what had happened, Asch would be in serious trouble. And on top of that, it would be my fault. Then Asch would go back to hating me, he would leave and...I would miss him.

"...We'll have to be careful..." I said after a while.

"Where did that come from?" he asked.

"Well, I was just thinking, if anyone finds out about this, we're screwed..." Immediately, I regretted my choice of words.

"Ahem... Uh, yes, we do have to be careful when showing our feelings," Asch said, nervously, which was unusual for him. It was clear that I had said something wrong if it got Asch nervous.

"...I didn't mean it to come out like that..."

"...I know."

The doctor then came in again, followed by two nurses pulling in an extra bed for me. They put the bed beside Asch's and then the nurses left the room.

"Now, there's your bed, Luke. Asch, I need to wrap your wounds now. Luke, maybe you should leave for a minute," the doctor said.

"No, I would like Luke to stay with me," Asch spoke up. I was surprised at what he had said.

"Very well," the doctor agreed.

"Dr. Lee, there is a patient waiting in the other room," said one of the nurses, poking her head in the doorway.

"Oh, yes. But Asch's wounds must be taken care of," the doctor responded.

"Doctor, there's an emergency patient in the other room," the nurse argued.

"Right. Luke, perhaps you could take care of Asch. The bandages and cloths are over there in that cabinet. Wipe the blood from the cuts, then wrap the bandages around his middle so that it covers all the wounds. I'm sure you'll do fine," Dr. Shu said with a smirky smile on his face. With that, he left the room, and Asch and I were by ourselves again.

"...Is it just me or is that doctor a lot like Jade?" I asked Asch, feeling slightly annoyed.

"No, he really is like Jade," Asch answered.

"Okay, so anyway, I guess I'm the doctor now," I laughed, walking over to the cabinet and taking out the supplies that the doctor had mentioned.

"Guess so."

"Um...Asch...?"

"Yeah?"

"You, uh... kinda need to take your armour off so I can get at the cuts..." I told him, embarrassedly.

"...Um...yeah... You want me to take off my armour...?" he asked, shocked.

"...Yeah... Oh, I mean, just the top part...hehehe..." I said, blushing.

"...Right..." the god-general said. I helped him sit up and then got the armour undone. I helped him lift it off him and then I stared at his appealing stomach, every muscle so fine and clear.

"What are you staring at...? Just start cleansing my wounds, will you?" he asked, seeming almost shy.

"Okay..." I said, taking a cloth in my hand. I then began gently cleaning one of the slices in Asch's back.  
"...Ow...that hurts..."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it."

"Asch?"

"Yeah?"

"You're really different. I wish you were like this all the time. You're really nice."

"...I'm not nice..."

"Hehe...you're weird, too. When someone tells you that you're nice, it's supposed to be a compliment. You seem to take it as an insult."

"...Heh...I guess you're right. I'm really stupid, huh?"

"No, no. You're not stupid. You were just never taught that," I said, moving my cloth onto the next cut.

"Maybe so... but I'm stupid about other things," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I...take you all for granted. You, Natalia, Guy... I never gave you guys the respect you deserve," Asch said, sounding really guilty about it.

"It's not too late to start, Asch. I mean, look at you. You're giving me respect now."

"I guess. Ow...you're pressing too hard on my back," he said.

"Sorry. That cut is pretty clean now, anyway," I said, walking around to the front of him. I looked yearningly at that pretty stomach.

"What _is_ your problem?" he asked.

"I don't have a problem... no problem at all," I answered, contendedly. I then began wiping the blood from the cut in his abdomen.

"Do you find this...akward?" he asked.

"No..."

"Good," Asch answered, grabbing me around the middle and pulling me in close to him. I accepted the embrace and settled into his arms. I then let my arms travel around to his back and pulled myself closer to him. We stayed like that for at least a full minute, then Asch pulled away.

"Why...why did you stop?" I asked.

"Because you have to finish wrapping my wounds before the doctor comes back. You don't want us to get caught like last time, do you?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, you're right."

I then put down the blood-soaked cloth and began wrapping Asch's wounds, feeling my face get warmer and warmer by the minute. Asch looked around the room cautiously.

"No one's coming. You're right. Why stop now?" Asch said, pulling me down on the bed so that I was on top of him.

"Asch, what the h..." I started to say, but he put a hand up to my lips to silence me.

"Quiet! If anyone hears, they'll come running," he warned, wrapping his arms around me.

"Asch, what happened to our _'being careful' _plan?" I asked him.

"We are being careful."

"No!" I yelled, pulling away from him and getting off the bed. "Sit up, Asch. I need to finish bandaging you," I said, sternly.

"What's wrong, replica?"

"Oh, I'm back to replica now, am I? I'll tell you what's wrong. This is not the time or place for this, Asch. It's way too easy for someone to just walk in while you're in the middle of one of your little moves!" I told him.

"What do you mean, 'one of my little moves'?!"

"Well, in case you've forgotten, it was you that pulled me down on top of you a minute ago."

"Excuse me, but you were the one who kissed me!"

"Kissed you?! That was called 'breathing into your mouth to save your life'!"

"Sure. That's just an excuse to make it sound better!"

"Is everything alright in here?" a nurse asked, coming in the room.

"Uh...yeah. We're fine," I said, faking my best smile.

"Okay... Oh, you didn't finish wrapping the wounds...?" she asked, looking surprised.

"Hehehe... Working on it," I answered, hand behind my head innocently.

"Do you want me to do the wrapping?" she asked.

"No!" Asch and I answered in unison.

"Oh...okay, then," the nurse said, leaving and closing the door behind her.

"Okay. See, Asch? She could've easily walked in while I was being pulled down by you," I told him.

"You're right. It was too close. We'll have to find a way to keep people out," he responded.

"Asch! You're missing the point! We can't show our love in a place like this! End of discussion. Now, your wounds..."

Asch kept quiet after that, and I finally finished wrapping the bandages around his torso.

"Thanks, Luke," Asch said after a while.

"You're welcome," I answered, sighing wearily.

Asch's pleading eyes seemed to bore right through me. I looked at the closed door, then at Asch. I knew I would be disobeying my own rule, even after that long lecture. But it would only take a second. I leaned in closer and pressed my lips against Asch's. I felt his tension at first, but then he eased into the kiss. Of course, he was surprised at the contrast between what I had said, and what I had done. Asch removed his lips from mine for only a second.

"I knew you couldn't resist, Luke," he whispered in my ear. We leaned into the kiss once again.

"Luke!" a voice called out.

Asch and I pulled away from each other rapidly, and looked over to see Tear standing in the doorway. She didn't exactly look happy.

"Tear, I can explain..." I started.

"What is there to explain, Luke?" Tear asked, turning her head away from me.

"Everything..." I answered.

"Alright. Go ahead, then. Let's hear it."

"Uh...um...well..."

"Exactly," she said, gravely.

"Excuse me, but have you ever heard of love?" Asch interrupted.

"What!? Just ignore him, Tear! He's a little out of it right now," I said, scrambling to get myself out of this mess.

"No, Luke. I think both of you are out of it! What are you thinking!?"

"Tear, please... Please, don't tell anyone about this. As soon as Asch is better, everything will be back to the way it was. There's no need to worry," I said.

"I'm not out of it. But Luke is right. Everything will be back to normal before you know it. If you know what's good for you, you'll keep your trap shut about this, girl!" Asch threatened.

"How can I not worry? How can I not tell anyone? You two were _kissing_, for Yulia's sake! A replica and his original...kissing!" Tear said, getting upset.

"I know it seems wrong, but please try to understand, Tear. Love just happens! You can't control how you feel about people!" I argued.

"I just can't understand this," she said.

"You don't have to understand it, you idiot! Just don't tell anyone about it! Then everything will be fine!" Asch bickered.

"Luke, I just can't believe you! I don't know how I can trust you anymore. You're making friends with the enemy... but by the look of things, it's turning into more than just friends," she said.

"Tear... why can't you just let it go? Pretend you never saw anything, and don't say a word. Please, just keep this a secret?" I begged.

"...Fine. But, Luke, I swear... You're such an idiot!!" Tear yelled as she fled from the room.

"...Do you think she'll tell?" Asch asked.

"We can only hope she won't," I answered.

"...You were right before, Luke. We can't be like this. It's too much of a risk. And now, we've ruined it. Someone has found out, and she's probably one of the worst people to find out," he said.

"You're right. But, Asch, it's my fault that Tear found out about this. I kissed you even after we agreed not to do anything so stupid."

"Idiot. You can't take all the blame. We were both kissing each other. Therefore, we're both to blame."

"...I guess..."

"Don't worry about it right now. We should get some sleep," Asch said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just wonder what Tear actually came for in the first place..." I wondered.

"Don't know. But anyway, I don't have any comfortable clothes to sleep in."

"Oh yeah. You just have your armour, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"One sec. I'll go ask Guy or somebody if they'll go and get some clothes from the manor," I said, leaving the room.

The group was outside the fontech laboratory. Everyone seemed to be their usual selves, looking a little concerned for Asch, but other than that, they seemed normal. Except for Tear, that is. She was standing by herself, away from the others, looking as if she had just seen a ghost. Her face was white and she seemed blank. _Please, just don't say anything, Tear... _

"Luke, is everything alright?" Guy asked when he saw me come out of the building.

"Yeah, Asch is fine right now. But, could one of you go back to my manor at Baticul? Asch needs to borrow some of my clothes, since the only thing he has to wear right now is his armour," I said.

"Sure, I'll go if Noelle will fly the Albiore there," Guy answered.  
"I'll go with you, Guy," Anise said, smiling sweetly.

"Uh...no, that's okay, Anise," Guy answered, looking nervous.

"No, really, I'll go!" Anise shouted, chasing after Guy.

"Ah!" Guy yelled, as he started running.

"Oh dear, it looks like I need to accompany them. We can't have them running around like this the whole time," Jade spoke up.

"I'll go with them as well. As the princess, I feel that I should be the one to let Suzanne and Duke Fabre know what happened to Asch," said Natalia.

"Excellent. That just leaves Tear," Jade commented.

"I'll...stay here..." Tear answered quietly.

"Good enough. You can keep an eye on things here, alright?" Jade asked her.

Tear just nodded.

"Okay, thanks guys," I said, forcing a smile, but despising the fact that Tear was the one and only person from our group that was staying. _Why Tear? Why couldn't it have been Guy? Or even Anise? _I thought about it some more. _Well, Anise probably wouldn't have left Asch and I alone. Jade is so sneaky, he would've found us out easily. Natalia might've come in to see Asch, and if she found out, I'd be as good as dead. And as for Mieu...well, now that Tear knows, it's more than likely that he knows now too._

"We'll be back before too long!" Guy shouted, as he ran for the Albiore, still being closely followed by Anise.

"See you soon, Luke!" Anise yelled happily, as she sped up after Guy.

"Good luck with everything," Jade said, calmly following the others.

"Take care of Asch," Natalia said, looking concerned.

The group exited Belkend and all that was left was Tear. She didn't look at me.

"Tear...?" I said.

"..."

"Tear, please talk to me. What did you come in for a few minutes ago?" I asked.

"...You idiot... Please don't speak to me..." she answered.

"Well...why not?"

"Why do you think!?" she snapped. I recoiled. Tear losing control just wasn't something I was accustomed to seeing.

"I'm sorry. I let my feelings get the better of me..." she said, her voice calmer now.

"I guess that's sort of what happened between Asch and I..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I know it's really weird... but Asch and I discovered that we had feelings for each other. Our feelings were so strong, that we just couldn't hold them off or ignore them... So, we let them take over, and that's what made us kiss..."

"..."

"It's stupid and weird, I know. You probably still don't get it," I said, laughing at my own stupidity.

"...No. I understand...somewhat. I get what you're trying to say about your feelings taking over, but what I don't get is how you and Asch can be in love. You two are enemies. And even if you weren't, it's still not normal for a replica and his original to be in love."

"Not normal? How can you say it's not normal? Do you even know any other replicas?"

"...No. You're right. It was unfair for me to say that. But still, a replica and original in love? It's like someone being in love with themself."

"...Hey, it's harsh when you put it that way. And anyway, you should know just as well as anyone that Asch and I are not the same person. We're completely different people, even though our appearance is similar."

"You're right. I just can't believe you're..." Tear started, but then turned away as she started blushing.

"...What? You think I'm gay?" I asked.

"...No...yes...I...don't know..."

"Hehehe... There's nothing wrong with being gay, but in any case, I'm not. I just happen to like Asch. But, I like girls too."

"So...now you're either a bisexual or Asch is a girl..."

"...You're really scary, you know that?"

"...I know. But I really don't care what you are, I just...I love you, you idiot!" Tear said, and then ran as fast as she could out of Belkend. I just stood there in shock. _What is with that girl? That was so weird... Probably one of the most akward conversations I've ever had..._

"Hi, master!" a squeaky high-pitched voice called out.

"Ah!" I yelled, looking down to see the blue and white cheagle looking up at me with his huge eyes.

"I heard you and Tear talking," Mieu said.

"Ugh! What the hell are you doing here?" I asked.

"...Mieu... I was with Tear but she just ran away."

"So, you know about...Asch and I?"

"Sure do!" he said, smiling, and bouncing up and down.

"That's not something to be smiling about!"

"...Mieu... Sorry, master."

"Please, don't tell anybody about what you heard."

"Okay, master."

"Thanks. Now, go find Tear before she does something stupid. I need to go back inside with Asch, okay?"

"Okay, master," Mieu said, hopping off happily.

"Okay, Mieu," I laughed.

I walked back into the fontech laboratory and found my way back to the hospital area. I walked in the room to see the doctor, who gave me a worried look, and Asch passed out on the bed...

A/N: How was that chapter? Let me know what you think! I'm sorry if I offended anyone by what Tear said. I didn't mean to if I did. I have nothing against bisexual or gay people or anything.


	3. Chapter 3 Thunder and a Game of Cards

A/N: Thank you to the people who reviewed and supported me. I know in the first chapter, I said I wouldn't update until I got 5 reviews, but I changed my mind. I was too excited, and had to update anyway! So, thank you for reviewing!

"What happened here?" I asked, rushing over to Asch.

"I'm not sure why, but he passed out. Don't worry, though, he'll be fine," the doctor said. I wasn't sure or not, but I thought I caught just a glimpse of doubt in his eye.

"Asch..." I said, placing a hand gently on his soft cheek. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

"Luke..." he whispered.

"Shh...you'll be okay," I whispered back.

"I know that," he said, his eyes soft.

"Oh, how cute. Brotherly love," the doctor said, looking relieved that Asch was alright.

"Could you, like, shut up about that right now? Man..." I said.

"Heh..." Asch laughed weakly.

"He seems more and more like Jade all the time," I commented.

"...So, anyway... I would like to find out what caused you to pass out. Are you in pain?" the doctor asked, looking serious.

"Well, of course I am a little. I just got stabbed for Yulia's sake!" Asch remarked.

"Hehe...yes, true. Alright then... Perhaps the bandages are too tight? It couldn't be because of loss of blood. We stopped the bleeding with the wraps," Doctor Shu said.

"You mean 'Luke'. 'Luke' stopped the bleeding with the wraps," Asch corrected him.

"Oh, yes... That's what I meant... hehehe..."

"The only difference between this guy and Jade is that this guy gets nervous way easier than Jade," I said. Asch let out a small laugh again, but the doctor seemed to be lost in thought. He stared at Asch intently and whispered a faint, "I wonder..."

I spent the rest of the evening sitting in the room with Asch. We didn't talk a whole lot, just a few words here and there. Finally the door opened.

"Hey, you two," Guy greeted us.

"Hi there, Guy," I smiled, getting up.

"Here are some clothes. Your mom picked them out," he said. I looked questioningly at him, wondering if he was talking to me or Asch.

"Mom...?" Asch asked.

"Oh, how cute! Asch misses his mommy!" Anise beamed, coming in the room.

"Ugh! I didn't say that!" Asch yelled.

"...Aww...he's blushing!" Anise grinned.

"S-shut up!" the god-general fumed.

"Now, now, Anise. That's not very nice," Jade smirked, coming in the room.

"Oh no. Now we have two Jades..." I muttered.  
"Two? Oh, no, I believe you're incorrect. I am the one and only Jade Curtiss, unless someone has made a replica of me without my knowing," Jade smiled. Everyone stared and said nothing.

"It was a joke... Oh, never mind," he said.

"It wasn't very funny. Oh, Asch, are you alright?" Natalia asked, running to his side.

"I'm fine," Asch answered. There was definitely something different about Asch, and I could see it now. The softness that had once been in his eyes when he looked at Natalia, was no longer there. But I had seen that softness only a short while ago...when he looked at me.

"You don't look fine. Does it hurt?" Natalia asked him.

"I said I'm fine!" he yelled.

Natalia froze. In fact, everyone did.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" he said, guiltily.

"Asch...what happened to you? You're not the same..." she said.

"You know what? You're right, Natalia. I've changed." Asch placed a small ring in her hand.

"...What...? Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Because, I told you, I've changed. Forget about me. You're getting married to Luke now," he said.

"...Asch? Why? What about our promise?" Natalia asked, looking as if her world would shatter at any second.

"Forget about it. It's over."

"But why?"

"Because I love someone else now! Don't you get it?!" Asch yelled at her.

"...Asch..." she whispered, her eyes softening. Then she ran from the room, crying as she went.

"What the hell did you do that for?" I asked.

"You know damn well why," Asch muttered to me.

"I'll go after her," Guy said, leaving the room too.

"Well, that was interesting," Jade said.

"You moron! That was far from interesting! Didn't you see Natalia's face?" I asked, incredulously.

"Yes, it looked rather sad," Jade answered.

"I can't believe you, Colonel! Don't you ever show any emotion besides...sarcasm?" Anise asked.

"Rarely," he answered.

"Guys, this isn't the time for this. Asch, you shouldn't have done that to Natalia, at least not that harshly. Secondly, have you guys seen Tear?" I asked them.

"No, I haven't seen her. I thought she was with you," Jade said.

"Well... she was... But I haven't seen her in a while. She sort of just left...after a very strange conversation," I explained.

"Uh-oh, Luke. Have you been a bad boy?" Anise asked.

"No, it wasn't me! Tear just... she just..." I didn't finish.

"What did she do? Come on, spit it out," Jade teased.

"She...told me she loved me and then called me an idiot," I muttered.

"Oh, what a contrast. Such a strange child..." the Colonel laughed.

"Tell me about it... But, still, we need to find out where she went. We can't go anywhere without her," I said.

"Well, we'll be staying in Belkend tonight at the inn. She'll know to come looking for us there. But we'll keep an eye out for her," he said.

"Okay, thanks," I smiled.

"I assume you're staying the night here with Asch?"

"Yup."

"Alright then. If there's any sign of Tear, we'll let you know," Jade said, leaving the room.

"Good-night, Luke," Anise smiled sweetly.

"Good-night," I told her.

The door closed behind them and Asch and I were left alone again. I looked at him sternly.

"What...?" he asked.

"Why did you do that to Natalia? Even if you don't love her anymore, why did you have to be so rotten about it?"

"...I did what I had to do. I couldn't let her think that there was still any chance of us being together. She should know now rather than later."

"But why?"

"Because... I'm not who I used to be. I'm not the Asch or Luke or whatever that she once loved."

"But she doesn't think that."

"Well, hopefully now she will."

"Why are you being such a jerk about this? ...Guy once told me that Natalia was the only one who really understood you. You cared for her, and she cared for you. And now you're just going to throw all that away?"

"I... You're right. But, I don't want to break her heart any more than I have."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Listen, one day I won't be here for her. I'd rather see her happy with someone else, than grieving for me. ...That's all."

"So this is your way of trying not to hurt her too much?"

"...Yeah."

"What a weird way to do that. You really suck at trying not to hurt girls, you know that?" I laughed.

"Shut up!" Asch yelled, pulling me down on the bed with him.

"Ah! Hey, what are you doing?" I asked, quickly getting back up. He lay back down on the bed and stared at me.

"I just want to look at you... It relaxes me..." he said.

"...Um...right..."

The door opened again and this time the doctor came in.

"Hello. I just thought I'd bring you this deck of cards in case you get bored. Now, I would like Asch to get some rest, so don't stay up all night. Once again, ring the bell in case of any problems, and I guess that's it. Do either of you need anything before I leave for the night?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so. Asch, do you need anything?" I asked him.

"No, it's all good," Asch answered.

"All right. I'll be back in the morning, then," Dr. Shu said.

"Okay. Good-night," I said.

"Good-night," he answered, shutting the door behind him.

"Alone at last," Asch whispered, sitting up.

"Asch, you need to get some rest. Didn't you hear what the doctor said?" I asked.

"Yeah, but come on. Just one game of cards?"

"...Oh, fine. But just one."

"Okay."

"What do you wanna play?" I asked him, sighing.

"...Hehehe... Strip poker..." he smiled, mischievously.

"No, Asch. I don't want to get into any more trouble than we're already in," I said.

"Oh, come on."

"No."

"Why not? Did something happen? ...Oh, is this about Tear finding out?"

"Yes. I'm worried since she didn't come back yet. If we get caught again, we'll just be pulled deeper and deeper into this."

"Just like a kiss..." Asch whispered, pulling me in close. I hit his hand away.

"What's wrong?!"

"I just told you what's wrong!"

"Come on. Just forget about everyone else. Forget about the whole world. It's just you, me, and a game of strip poker..." he said, shuffling the deck of cards and laying them out neatly across the bed with just one slick movement of his hand. He raised his eyebrows at me quickly, and gave me a sort of 'bad boy' smile that I just couldn't resist. His expressions were irresistably intriguing. I gave him a stern look.

"...One game of strip poker only," I told him.

He smiled naughtily and dealt me my cards. _Boy, am I in for a rough night..._

Cards were dealt, clothing was removed. Need I say more? I began sweating, even though I had already taken off my shirt and coat. I sucked at poker, but Asch seemed to be even worse. Although, I knew that Asch was trying to lose, just so he could take off his clothes.

"Asch, the point is to win. You know that, right?" I asked.

"Of course, I know that," he answered.

The game continued...

Asch and I were both down to our last piece of clothing; our boxers. I was sweating more than ever now. Asch just looked so damn hot...

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"...N-nothing," I answered, my mouth quite dry.

"Well, looks like something's wrong now."

"What...? What do you mean?"

He smiled maliciously and lay down his cards. I lay down my cards miserably. It was obvious that Asch had won.

"Say good-bye to your boxers," Asch laughed.

"...Oh, come on. Do I have to?"

"Of course. You lost and you have to play by the rules."

"But this is inappropriate. We're in a hospital."

"So what? No one's gonna come in during the night."

"Fine..." I said, standing up.

"Go, go!" Asch cheered, as quietly as he could.

I placed my hands on the waist-band of my boxers and began to pull them down.

"Haha!" Asch laughed.

"In the name of Yulia, Asch, shut up!" I scolded.

I let my boxer shorts fall to the floor. Asch stared admirably.

"Why the hell are you staring like that?" I asked.

"What a hypocrite! You were doing the same thing not that long ago!"

"...Yeah, I guess... But it's weird, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Being in love with your replica?"

"What are you talking about? What's gotten into you, Luke? You didn't give a damn about that before. What happened?"

"...It's just something that Tear said..."

"Oh, is that idiot toying with your mind? Don't listen to her."

"But maybe she's right... A replica and their original... It's just wrong, isn't it?" I asked, losing more and more self-confidence by the minute.

"Hey," Asch said, gently. He placed a hand on my cheek and tilted my head towards him. I looked at his eyes, and that softness was there.

"Don't worry about what anyone says, okay? Whatever makes you happy, that's what's important, right?" he asked.

"I guess you're right. We've both been swaying in and out of love with each other. It's probably because we had that doubt somewhere in our minds that what we were doing was wrong. That's why sometimes we behaved and stayed away, other times we let ourselves be drawn to each other," I said.

"You do a lot of thinking. Surprising that you're my replica, seeing as how I tend to act before I think."

"Well, the group has criticized me for doing that on more than one occasion. But anyway, Asch, can I put my clothes back on now?" I asked.

"Hehe...oh, yeah, I forgot. It just seemed so natural. Go ahead."

"It seemed natural? Okay, now that's going a little too far. I mean, I look just like you for crying out loud! What's so great about me seeing me naked?"

"I don't know. You just look good."

"...Right. You're sure you don't mean that you like looking at yourself naked? Because it's pretty much the same thing."

"No, it's not!" Asch yelled.

"Shh... It would probably be best if no one heard this conversation," I reminded him.

"Right, sorry. But, I'm in love with you, not me. We're different. You know that," he said, grabbing the clothes he had been wearing and putting them on again, too.

"Yeah, I know."

"...Luke...?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we...push the two beds together?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just push them together so it's like one big bed."

"Oh, I see. You just want to be close to me," I laughed.

"...And so what if I do...?"

"...Oh, that's really what you want? Okay, it's fine. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"How can you be surprised after all that's happened?"

"I don't know," I said, pushing my bed over next to Asch's. I then lay down in it and Asch lay down as well.

"Replica and original... It doesn't really matter, does it?" he asked, seeming like he was thinking really hard about it.

"I...don't know anymore. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I'm not sure..."

"Well, it won't matter for long anyway. As soon as I'm healed, I'll be out of here, and we'll never be the same again. There will be no love or even friendship between us. We'll go back to being enemies, because now you understand why that has to be."

"...Yeah, I guess I do. You stayed enemies with me, so you couldn't get attached to me, right?"

"Exactly. If I was your enemy, that meant I had to avoid you most of the time. And if I did run into you, I wouldn't be on your side. But now, this could be my only chance to let you know the truth...how I really feel..."

"Yeah... Let's make the most of the time we have together here."

"It's a deal," he said.

"Right," I answered, shaking his hand.

"...Did you hear that...?" Asch asked, after a minute.

"What?"

"...Never mind. I guess I was just imagining things..."

Little did we know at the time that the doctor just happened to be on the other side of the door, listening to every word we had said. Asch's hearing wasn't leading him wrong. Dr. Shu then walked away from the medical area of the laboratory, saying to himself, "...Replica and original... Just as I thought..."

It took us a long time to get to sleep. The first long while, after we had lay down, was spent just staring at each other. I kept running my fingers through a strand of Asch's long, soft hair. It was probably an hour or two after mid-night when we heard a rumbling sound outside.

"Huh. Sounds like thunder," I said, still in my dreamy-eyed phase from looking at Asch for so long. Asch tensed up and quickly moved so that he was right up against me.

"...What's wrong?" I asked, surprised by his rapid maneuver.

"...N-nothing," he said, moving slightly away again.

The thunder rolled again and Asch grasped onto me, closing his eyes tight.

"...A-are you afraid of thunder?!" I asked him.

"...Maybe...a little..."

"Wow... I never expected that."

"Life is full of surprises, Luke," he said, still seeming tense, and also embarrassed.

"It's okay, you know, to be afraid of thunder," I told him.

"No, it's stupid! I can't be a god-general and be afraid of a stupid little thing like thunder!"

"Well, maybe you're not supposed to be a god-general," I said, as the thunder rolled again. Asch's grip on my arm became tighter. Rain started to pour outside. He then relaxed a bit.

"...You know what? Maybe you're right..." he said.

"What?"

"This kind of weather always makes me feel cold...and alone. The other god-generals weren't like that."

"See, Asch? Maybe that means that you weren't meant to be with them. You still have emotions, and you still feel sadness and pain. That's something that you've been trying to hide away," I told him, wrapping my arms around him in a gentle embrace.

"...Yeah, I guess you're right. I always tried to act so tough and cold, but maybe that was because I just felt cold on the inside. I missed my family and my life at home."

"..."

"Sorry, I'm not saying that to make you feel bad."

"I know. But if you feel that way, why don't you come back home?"

"I can never go back," he said. The thunder rolled again and he nestled in against me.

"Why not? We want you there...I want you there," I told him.

"...I know. But..." he trailed off. Then I felt him start shaking.

"What's wrong...?" I asked, gently. He looked up at me, his eyes shining with tears.

"...Are you crying?" I asked.

"...Just a bit... It's fine..." He lay his head close to my chest and closed his eyes, letting the tears spill down his cheeks.

"It's okay. Maybe you'll feel better if you just tell me," I told him, caressing his hand.

"...It's just that Father hates me..."

"I don't think he hates you. Maybe he's just upset that you left to be with the god-generals."

"No, it's not that. He always hated me... I was just a bother to him..." Asch whispered, letting some more tears fall.

"I don't think that's true. Father seems that way, but he does that to everybody. He's just a busy person and doesn't have time to...really be a father," I said quietly, just realizing that myself.

"...Maybe you're right... But I just can't go back... It's too painful. But it doesn't matter," he said, wiping his eyes and forcing a small smile.

"Well, whatever you decide to do, I'll trust your decision. I'll be there for you, okay, Asch?"

"Okay."

A/N : You know what to do. Click the review button, please.


	4. Chapter 4 The Cotton Candy Sky, Goodbye

A/N: Okay, here's the last chapter. Hope you enjoy!

A week passed, and Asch was rapidly improving. Every night I had spent with him had special meaning in it, even if it was just a few more games of poker. All the days we had spent talking, all the nights we had spent huddled together, all of it was important...to both of us. And I knew that before too long, I would have to say good-bye to all that. No more comforting words, no more arms entwined around one another. It would be like none of it ever happened...

The doctor came in early one morning to check up on Asch. The door opened and Asch and I pulled out of our embrace quickly.

"Good morning, both of you. I have some good news," he said, pulling the blinds open so that sunlight entered through the window..

"What is it?" I asked.

"We have a master of healing artes here today from Yulia City. So, after that healer fixes Asch up, he'll be good to go," Dr. Shu said.

"Go? You mean, like, leave the hospital?" Asch asked.

"Yes. Your wounds have healed up pretty well on their own, but I'd like to just help them along with these healing artes," the doctor explained.

"When will this be?" I asked.

"The healer will probably be here in about an hour, so just be patient until then," the doctor said, leaving the room once again.

"...I can't believe you'll be leaving so soon..." I said quietly to Asch.

"...Yeah, me neither. It doesn't seem like that long since I got there. I don't feel like I got to spend enough time with you..." Asch answered.

"Same here. Well, I guess I'll get your things ready to go for you," I said, getting up from the bed. I placed his armour, sword, and other small belongings in a pile on the dresser. I then gathered up my clothes that Asch had worn throughout the week.

"You can keep that outfit on until you're ready to leave," I said, referring to my black sleeve-less shirt and dark pants that Asch was currently wearing.

"Okay," he answered. I then took the top part of his armour over to the sink and began scrubbing it, trying to get the dried blood off it.

"Why didn't I think of trying to clean this before?" I laughed.

"Because... you were busy thinking about other things...as was I," he answered, seriously.

"...You...don't want to leave either, do you?"

"No. I haven't had enough time to think things out."

"Like what?"

"My feelings. And after this, I'll never be able to. It's just too bad that I couldn't really figure them out before I had to leave them behind."

"Asch... Maybe you don't have to leave them behind. Just come with us," I said, knowing myself that it just wouldn't work.

"You know I can't do that. It wouldn't work for either of us. We've been through this."

"...Yeah, I know. ...Asch?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you, too. You're...the best friend I've ever had..."

"Really?"

"Yeah. No one else would've put up with me for this long. Probably not even Natalia. You've seen the way I act when I really like someone..." he said, embarrassedly.

"Hehe! Yeah, I can't imagine what Natalia would do if you tried to drag her into a game of strip poker," I laughed.

"Yeah."

"I'm really glad to hear you say that I'm your friend. I never thought you'd ever accept me. But now you have, and it's better than I had ever imagined. No one understands me better than you."

"Same here. Luke...?"

"What?"

Asch got up from the bed with only a slight bit of difficulty. He then came over beside me and pressed his lips against mine. I let myself relax and be drawn into the kiss. Asch then let his tongue enter my mouth. At first I resisted, but then felt the comfort in it. Asch was doing a fine job of letting his tongue explore every area of my mouth, but I panicked and didn't know what to do with my tongue. I then pulled away. Asch gasped for air and then stared at me, looking quite satisfied.

"Wow... Good job, Asch," I said, stunned at how well he could really kiss.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"I...didn't know what to do with my tongue..." I said, embarrassedly.

"...What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've never kissed anyone like that before. Actually, my first kiss was the 'breath of life' that I gave you the other day."

"And that could barely be called a kiss."

"Yeah, and then we were also kissing when Tear found us."

"True. But that wasn't passionate... No tongue was involved there."

"...So you're saying that wasn't a good kiss?"

"I'm saying that wasn't a _real_ kiss. There's a difference," Asch smiled.

"...Well, I wouldn't know."

"So, you mean to say that your first kiss was from me?"

"...Yeah. I never expected my first kiss to be from a guy..." I said.

"Oh, are you saying you're disappointed? I'm insulted," Asch joked.

"Don't be. I'm... I'm really glad that it was you," I told him.

"You mean it?"

"Sure do. I mean, if my first _real _kiss had been with Tear, I would probably have a phobia like Guy now, too," I laughed.

"Hehe. I'm glad you enjoyed that kiss then," he said, amused.

"I did. And I'm serious."

"I'm glad," he smiled.

An hour passed and all of Asch's belongings were ready to go. I had managed to get his armour clean again. We sat on the bed together, holding hands, but saying nothing. We didn't know what the future would bring, so we just stayed like that, safe together, at least for a little while longer. The doctor and the healer soon came in, and we let go of each other, regardless of how much we wanted to refuse.

"Luke, Asch, this is Professor Kingsly from Yulia City. He will take a look at Asch's wounds now," Dr. Shu said.

"Okay," Asch answered.

"Could I see where you were hurt?" the professor asked. Asch nodded and removed the black shirt from his body. I stared one last time at those beautiful muscles, and that stomach... Professor Kingsly examined the slice in the front, then walked around and looked over the slices in Asch's back. He then walked back around to the front and then closed his eyes. He placed his staff out in front of him and muttered a few words that I didn't understand. Then, rays of light traveled from the staff to Asch's wounds, making them glow and then close over, leaving no trace of ever being there. There weren't even any scars. Asch breathed heavily as the light disappeared from the cuts.

"Does that feel better?" Kingsly asked.

"Yeah, much better," Asch answered.

"Good," said the professor, looking pleased with his work.

"How much will it cost for the healing and for staying here at the hospital? Dr. Shu, Professor Kingsly, you've both been a huge help," I said.

"I don't want any pay. I just want to help," the professor said to me.

"Yes. I don't ask for anything either. Helping people is my job, making people better and happy is my pay," the doctor explained.

"I know. But, you've both helped Asch so much. Here's 10,000 Gald each," I said, digging in my pockets and pulling out the correct amount.

"No, really, Luke. It's alright. We don't need anything," Dr. Shu said. Professor Kingsly nodded in agreement.

"Fine. But really, I can't thank you enough," I said.

"Don't mention it. Farewell," the professor said, leaving the room.

"You can leave whenever you're ready, but take your time, okay?" said Dr. Shu, leaving as well. Asch then got up and went over to the dresser. He took his armour off it and then put it on, throwing me my shirt and pants that he had been wearing. I forgot to even take the time to admire him undressing right in front of me. I was just so upset about us having to part ways in only a matter of minutes.

"Asch, how do you feel? Does it still hurt?" I asked.

"No. I feel better than ever, except for the fact that..." he didn't finish.

"That we won't be together anymore," I said.

"I didn't say that!" he yelled. It was as if the armour made him into Asch the Bloody once again.

"...I can't believe it..." I whispered.

"What?" he asked, the harshness in his voice once again.

"...You really are the same as you were before... It _is _as if none of that happened..." I felt heartbroken.

"I told you to be prepared for that! And yet, look at you! You're the pathetic replica you were all along!" he said, bitterly.

"..."

"Let's go," he said, taking his sword and exiting the medical room. I looked around the room, as if trying to soak in the last of the good feelings that I had felt there. I let out a sigh and then followed Asch outside.

The group was waiting outside. The air seemed to have a chilling feeling in it, even though it was a nice day out.

"So, Asch is all better now?" Anise asked.

"Yeah..." I said, quietly. I wasn't really sure if that was what I would call 'better'. Asch seemed worse, to me. It wasn't his wounds that were the problem, it was his mood. I wished that he would show his other side, the side that I had seen all week.

"So you're leaving now, right?" Guy asked Asch.

"Yeah. The next time we meet, I'll be ready to take you all down," the god-general answered.

"...You're going to fight us?" I asked.

"Of course! We're enemies. Remember, you idiot?" he asked.

"...Yeah..."

"Good. I'm going, then. See you around...replica," Asch said, turning his back to us. And just like that, he left. I'll never forget that day when I watched him disappear into the sunlit plains, under the cotton-candy sky, walking casually, never turning back. I wanted to reach out to him, but I knew I had to let him go. Tear stared at me in a crestfallen state.

"You idiot... He's not coming back," she muttered to me.

"S-shut up! I know that!" I yelled, sounding much like Asch. Everyone stared at me.

"I'm sorry... Just let me be alone for a while, okay?" I asked.

"Okay. We'll go get your stuff out of the room, alright?" Guy said.

"Alright. I'll just wait here," I said, leaning on a railing and staring out over the sea.

"Okay. Take care of yourself, Luke. You don't look so good," he said, leading the group to the fontech laboratory.

_'Take care'. That's what I meant to say to Asch before he left... But he changed so suddenly, I forgot to. He better be alright...out there...by himself... What if something happens? What if there's a thunder storm or something, and he's all alone... I don't want him to have to deal with it alone... _I then gave myself a good slap across the face to snap myself out of it. I was letting myself think about stupid things. I was just going to get myself all worked up and worried, so I stopped. I then focused my attention on tracing my name on the railing with the tip of my finger. But whenever I got to the end, I always wanted to start over and write 'Asch' instead.

"Luke!" I looked to see Guy and the rest of the gang approaching.

"Yeah? What is it?" I asked, still feeling down.

"Dr. Shu wants to see you," Jade said.

"Oh, really? Okay," I said.

"Do you want us to go with you?" Tear asked.

"No, that's okay. I'll meet you here when I'm done, alright?" I said.

"Okay," Guy nodded.

"Good. I'll be back soon," I told the group, forcing a smile, and heading for the laboratory.

I walked into the medical room, wishing I would never have to see it ever again. I felt as if I could still sense Asch there. I could almost taste him...

"Ah, Luke," Dr. Shu said, coming up behind me.

"Ack! I didn't know you were there," I said, a bit startled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to shock you. But...what I'm about to tell you will shock you even more," he said.

My stomach turned.

"Please, sit down," he instructed. I did as I was told and sat down on one of the beds.

"What is it...?" I asked, wondering if I really wanted to know or not.

"It's about you and Asch..." he said. My heart sank. _Dammit... We were careless... He's found out, too._

"...What about us?" I asked.

"I know that you two are replicas. But that's not all," he said. _Whew... Maybe he doesn't know about us being together._

"What else is there?" I asked, wanting him to continue.

"Listen. I, as well as some other researchers here, have just discovered something that we had been working on for a while."

"What?!" I urged.

"When an original is around their replica for a long period of time, their fonons become dependant on their replica's. If all of a sudden, the replica and original are separated, the fonons of the original become unstable..."

"...What happens then?"

"Unless the replica and original are reunited before too long, the original will die."

"Die!? Do you mean Asch is going to die!? Why didn't you warn us of this? Was there a way to prevent it?"

"We only just confirmed that this was not just a theory. It is a fact. We weren't sure about it before. But we do know now that if the replica and original were separated from each other slowly, little by little, the original would be much less likely to die."

"Why's that?"

"The fonons would become independant again and would be able to support the original's life again."

"...Asch... So, I have to get to him before he dies, don't I?" I asked, panicked.

"Yes. You should hurry. I'm not sure how long his fonons can keep him alive," Dr. Shu said.

"I need to go!" I yelled, getting up and rushing outside.

"Luke, what's wrong?" Natalia asked when she saw me running towards them, looking panicked.

"Asch is going to die if I don't hurry to him!" I yelled.

"What!?" Guy asked.

"I don't have time to explain! Let's just hurry! I think he was going to the Absorption Gate," I said, hurrying into the Albiore. The group gave each other confused glances and then followed me into the ship.

Noelle flew the Albiore towards the Absorption Gate, but I spent most of the time pacing back and forth, wishing I had the power to get there faster. I wished that I could at least communicate with Asch to let him know what was going on, so I could tell him to hold on...and wait for me...just a little longer. After a while, I gave up on pacing and simply stared out one of the Albiore's windows. I picked up my black shirt that Asch had been wearing not that long ago. I brushed it against my cheek. It felt like Asch's soft touch... I put the shirt up to my nose and inhaled. It smelled like Asch's sweet scent... Eventually, Tear came up beside me, looking upset.

"Luke... can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked.

"I don't really feel like talking right now..." I said.

"Please, Luke... You really need to know this."

"Okay. What is it?"

"...I... I've done something terrible..."

"What?"

"Luke, listen... When I found out about you and Asch together, I got jealous. I know it was wrong of me. But I have feelings for you that you have just been ignoring all along..." she said, her voice shaky.

"..."

"Luke... I'm sorry... But I told someone about you and Asch..."

"What?"

"I told my brother! I told Van!" she cried, her eyes filling with tears.

"Why? What's going to happen now?!" I asked, not wanting to upset her more, but wanting to know what the outcome would be.

"Luke, I'm so sorry. But my jealousy caused me to act without thinking clearly. I know it's not an excuse, but it's why I told Van to... I told Van to kill Asch!" she cried.

"Tear, why?"

"I know it was wrong! At the time, I thought that if Asch was out of the way, I could be with you. I knew Van would kill Asch anyway as punishment if he ever found out about you two. So I thought it would just be helping it along a little... But now I see that I was wrong!"

"I can't believe it!" I yelled.

"We're at the Absorption Gate," Noelle called out. I can barely even remember running out of the Albiore. I was in such a hurry that everything seemed a blur. I froze when I saw a figure lying at the entrance of the Absorption Gate. I knew that figure...the shining red hair...the black designed armour... I ran as fast as I could to Asch's side. I lifted his head up and held his body close to mine.

"...Asch?" I asked, my voice shakier than I had ever heard it before. There was no response.

"Asch? Can you hear me?" I asked again, panicking. I waited impatiently, hoping desperately to hear a 'hey, dreck' in response. But there was no answer. I put my head close to his chest, but didn't hear a pulse. I felt his wrist...still no pulse. I placed his limp and lifeless body back on the ground. I stared at his still and pale face. It made me shiver.

"Dammit! I can't believe it! If only I had been here with him! Dammit!!" I screamed.

"Luke?!" Guy asked, hurrying towards me.

"Leave me alone, dammit!" I yelled at him. I began running...far away...I didn't know where I was going or where I would stop. But I didn't turn back...there was no turning back... I'll never know if it was Van or the lack of fonons that caused Asch's death, but it didn't matter. I was running away... I would hide away forever. No one would ever find me, but I didn't care. Asch would always be with me in my heart...and that was enough...

A/N : There you go! Thank you for all the people who gave me the great reviews. It feels good to know that there are some people out there who like what I write. Thanks, guys! Now, one last favor. Please, review.


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